Lost Dog
by Raindrops Smile
Summary: WARNING! OC!  Zurui Inuzuka, Kiba's younger sister, is called back to Konoha. Rated k plus for a little language.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. There will be my OC as the "narrator" so to speak. So I'm giving you a chance to turn back now…

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><p>I trailed behind a tall shinobi who led me through a vaguely familiar forest. It was dense and dark as the trees towered above and blocked the sun from our small path. I yearned to leap up into the leaves and hop away atop the thick branches; I knew they wouldn't be able to catch me. But, I was familiar with the second shinobi that was only a yard or two behind me, scanning my every move. A small, out of place shift in my pace would surely send him lurching forward to take me down. Frankly, my two escorts were obviously informed that I am not the strongest kunoichi in the world, and they successfully took advantage of that.<p>

I had met the two men before they swept me up and took me away from my home in the Village hidden in the Stones. My guardian did not seem to protest and neither did anyone else in the village. The men took me in a quiet manner and they seemed friendly, trustworthy. Apparently they did not think of me in the same light. The three of us walked in silence, but every now and then the man in front would try to strike up a conversation about my past, I ignored him, though he was a lot warmer than the man behind us who had one hand on a kunai and another held a book in front of his masked face. I turned slightly to glance at him and he quickly shot a look in my direction. Startled, I turned back and walked a little faster.

I stayed close behind the other, who I had quickly noticed was welcoming and gracious. He had no harsh tone when asking about me, even when I refused to answer. I almost felt bad when I didn't want to reply. I kept my eyes glued to the ground until our little group stopped suddenly. I raised my head to look at the leading shinobi, who had turned to face me as well. His skin was tan and he towered over me. He had a thick scar across his nose that contrasted his pleasant expression. He talked in deep tone and I was hardly paying attention, he talked to me almost condescendingly, yet I felt respected. He didn't make me feel like a criminal like I thought he would.

"We're very close to Konohagakure." He said simply. I had always had such a village mentioned to me, but at this point it seemed like I had never heard of such a place before. I swallowed a lump and looked back to the ground. We started our rate again and I grew more eager as we neared the village. I sensed it in every step. I watched the sandals on my feet stir the dust as the trail we followed led out into the open. The sunrays surrounded me and I stared up at the sky. I felt the warmth on my forehead; it felt perfect after being in a damp forest for so long.

Our walking slowed as if to give me more time to think, or maybe it was just all slow in my head. Suddenly the heat was a little much and the dust only added to the humidity. I lifted my hands to my stomach and entangled my fingers, as if to calm the butterflies that fluttered back and forth inside of me. I thought back to the last time I saw my family, and all of the regrets I had. And I thought about how damn stupid I really was.

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><p>Tsunade and Shizune stood surrounded by stacks of reports and papers that rose to their eye level and higher. The Hokage wrote vigorously, signing and passing papers to her assistant who sorted them into yet more piles. Every now and then Tsunade had a scowl pass over her and she would look back over her shoulder at Konoha.<p>

"It's almost like not having any shinobi to send out at all." Shizune spoke up as she heaved a large bundle of loose papers off of Tsunade's desk and set them gently on the floor. The sky was bright blue as Lady Hokage watched the sun. She thought silently to herself as the light filled her open office, now filled with mess. Her eyes dropped to the floor in front of her.

"Only because Konohamaru and the other Genin can only be sent on D rank missions for the time being, while all of the Chunin and Jonin are busy with A and S ranks." She spoke monotonously and looked back to the mounds of reports on one side of the room, and slowly gazed over to the heaps of C and B ranked missions.

"We just can't help everyone all at once," Shizune sighed "with all of our top ninja out for weeks at a time tracking Akatski and..." She trailed off and tried to busy herself with the papers. Tsunade continued to watch the sky, waiting for a knock at the door.

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><p>I had been watching the dirt ground in front of me for some time when the scarred ninja ahead of me stopped slowly and turned to face me. I looked up to see his smiling face, and behind him, a large arc that was the frame to a bustling village. The color spilled through the windows of the houses and shops.<p>

"Well. It looks like we're finally here." The man behind me said. He sounded sarcastically happy and spoke with a low voice. He walked up closer to me and as I stared up at him. He didn't seem as intimidating as I had first thought. He seemed to be of Jonin level, the way he carried himself. He was calm and his one eye not covered by his mask seemed tired, but I had no doubt that in a given moment- he could kill me. My eyes fell back to the ground at my feet that felt numb and frozen in place. I then felt both the Leaf ninjas eyes upon me, waiting for me to say something that I suppose should have been on the tip of my tongue, but wasn't. Not just words, but air was caught at the back of my throat, and right then everything was impossible. It felt like I was being thrown into something so quickly, something I would have never thought of doing and never wanted to do.

"Some things have to be done, and some times the authority throws those things at you, because they know that's the only way it will get done." The Jonin next to me stated. He picked up a gloved hand and set it on my shoulder, it felt oddly comfortable right there, where it was. Comforting, maybe. Every word I had heard him say was true, so far, so there was no logic in not trusting him. The man in front of me was still smiling as he turned around and began to enter Konohagakure. I was hesitant, but the Jonin's hand on my shoulder was steady and he pushed me forward through the gate. We passed shops and eateries and many different houses, my curious eyes gazed at each one. It was a long, long road through the village to the Hokage's office and I told myself I wouldn't breathe the entire way there.

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><p>I had managed to zone out and leave for a little while. I went somewhere where I could inhale and exhale without choking on words or on tears. Somewhere where I would never be up rooted and moved to someplace I didn't want to be. The wind blew my hair in a swirl behind me and suddenly I was in that same place, cold, alone in the forest.<p>

I was huddled next to a fallen tree that acted as a wind breaker. I held my tiny knees to my chest and shivered. Maybe I could stay there for the night, wait until it was sunny and warm, and then continue on my way. Maybe I should just go home, where my family was most likely there waiting to scold me. I felt guilty. I know I shouldn't have left, but I couldn't go back now. I would never be able to feel good again if I went back. The only thing left to do was act like it never even happened, like I never knew who I was. But I couldn't go anywhere right now anyway.

I was tired and cold and that's when it started to rain. Water collected on the canopy of leaves, and big droplets came down and hit me all at once. I pressed my forehead to my knees and curled myself into a ball. I breathed on my hands and rubbed them together to keep warm. I missed Kuromaru, who on cold night would reluctantly let me fall asleep next to him. I shook away the memory and thought of Hana and Kiba, who seemed to enjoy their partners, unlike me. What a stupid kid I was. I was an Inuzuka without a partner. Like a canine without fangs.

I rubbed the markings on my cheeks and cried.

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><p>Review!<p>

~xx


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